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Chelmsford picks up new recycle firm

By Grant Welker, gwelker@lowellsun.com

Updated:
03/05/2013 06:33:44 AM EST

CHELMSFORD -- The town is switching to a new recycling contractor this summer because of dissatisfaction with the current provider, including instances in which some homes went days without having their recycling picked up.

Chelmsford has been under contract with Integrated Paper Recyclers for the past two years, but in recent months the town has had "all sorts of little problems," town solid-waste and recycling coordinator Nick Parlee told selectmen Monday.

The Senior Center, for example, has been "a spot of routine misses" in pick-up this year, Parlee said.

One neighborhood went five days without recycling pick-up, and in December, an Integrated Paper Recyclers truck spilled glass on a roadway. The town's highway department cleaned up the broken glass and billed Integrated Paper but has not been paid, Parlee said.

Integrated Paper Recyclers did not return a call seeking comment.

The issues add up to something that might not normally call for signing with a new contractor, but Waste Management gave the town an attractive offer, Parlee said.

Starting July 1, Chelmsford will have a contract with Waste Management for recycling pick-up. Residents will still have the same every-other-week pick-up schedule, Parlee said.

The two-year contract with Waste Management -- the company submitted a bid unsolicited -- will cost the town $80,000 more than the current contract, but the difference will be made up with rebates from the company and money the town has available to shuffle around in the recycling budget this year, Parlee said.

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Chelmsford had been in discussions with other vendors since January, Town Manager Paul Cohen said, calling the town "dissatisfied" with its current service. March 1 was the deadline for renewing or vacating the contract with Integrated Paper Recyclers.

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